Elevated CO₂ alters relative belowground carbon investment for nutrient acquisition in a mature temperate forest.

ABSTRACT: Forests are potential carbon (C) sinks that partially offset anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions via enhanced C assimilation and productivity. However, the question remains whether mature trees will express sufficient plasticity in nutrient acquisition strategies to support enhanced growth under elevated CO₂ (eCO₂). Trees may sustain growth by investing C belowground to enhance nutrient acquisition, e.g., by increasing root absorptive surfaces for greater soil available resource exploration (a "do-it-yourself" strategy) or utilizing C exudation or mycorrhizal associations as priming mechanisms for nutrient acquisition ("outsourcing"). We show that 4 y of eCO₂ (+140 ± 38 ppm; i.e., +35% above ambient) altered the relative belowground C in

SUBMITTER: Reay MK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12304975 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature